Coin-controlled mechanism.



R. B. CRAIG a; A. GOFFMAN.

GOIN CONTROLLBD MEGHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 12. 1909.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

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R. B. CRAIG an A. 'GOPFMAN GOIN GONTBOLLED MEGHANISM. APPLVIOATION FILED APR. 12. 1909. 967,332, v Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

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ROBERT B. CRAIG'AND ALBERT COFFMAN, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS TO AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINES COMPANY, OF. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A COB- PORATION F THE TERRITORY OF NEWMI'EXICO.

COIN-CONTROLLED MECHNISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

Original application filed November 30, 1908, Serial No. 465:182. Divided and thisI application led April 12,1909. Serial No.489,458.

To all whom, 'it may concern: l l

Be it known that we, ROBERT B. CRAIG and ALBERT Comun/1N, both, citizens of the United States, and residents of Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. i

The present invention relates to coin controlled mechanism for machines wherein a deposited coin actuates means for releasing a normally inactive mechanism and permits the same to be operatedby an impelling force momentarily applied or by a 4motor having connection therewith.

' The purpose of the invention is `to provide a means of suchcharacter adapted to nor- 'nally hold the motor or other actuating mechanism in positively locked position, t0v

automatically release the holding means and permit operation of the mechanism for a predetermined period, and to automatically check said operation andbring the several controlling elements into their normal posil tion.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a means associated with and controlled by the coin controlled mechanism whereby a coin cannot be inserted into the coin receptacle until, the machine has per# formed one complete' operation; and wherein no coin can be inserted should the machine become inoperative through any cause.

The invention is particularly adapted to coin controlled machines of the automatic vending type, such as disclosed in our co# pending application, Serial `No.` 465,182, dated November 30, 1908, and of which application the present case forms a division.

The structural details and mode of operation of the, invention are set forth in the following spcification and its points of novelty set forth in the claims.

In the accompanymg drawings which disl close the mechanism in its preferred embodiparts segregated, Fig. 3 isa side elevationA of the coin released detent or controlling means, and, Fig. 4 isa View in perspective of the cam shown in Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the several figures wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views shown, 127 is a coin receptacle or chiite adapted to receive the deposited coins and 'deliver them to the machine controlling f mechanism which has means projecting into the path of said chute. The coin chute comprises yfor its greater part a substantially upright or vertical portion and two lengths or legs connected therewith, and within the same plane. The lower of said lengths is disposed at an incline and rovided on one side with an opening 12730 such dimension that any coin inserted in the chute whose size is smaller than that of the coin prescribed will, by its own gravity, fall through the opening and into a receptacle provided for the purpose. In order that such a coin may not be started inv its path throu h the chute by any impelling force in an en eavor to defeat the 4purpose of .the inclined leg with its opening, the first-length of the chute or .that part which adjoins the inclined leg, is abruptly terminated -as at 127". It will therefore be seen that should a coin be inserted in the chute and caused to be accelerated in`its passage, such movement'will be arrested by the .st-op' 1'27, whence the coin will continue in its travel only in that movlment that it would otherwise,- have.

VThe coin controlled means comprises a shaft which has direct connection with the mechanism that is designed to be released for actuation by the deposlting of a coin in the chute. Said shaft 55 carries a cam disk 114provided vwith a shoulder 115-and a cooperating stop 116. A lever 117 fulcrumed at 118, carries a pin 119 that normally lies between shoulder 115 and stop 116. An arm 120 on lever 117 is connected by spring 121 to an anchorage 122, so thatlever 117 tends to swing in a direction to" depress its pin 119. Stop 116 is. recessed at 123 so that when pin 119 is depressed, yit may` ass through the recess 123 andl ermitcam isk llt, and therefore, the sha 55, to rotate. The opposite end of lever 117 is engaged'by a detent 124 pivoted at 125.` An arm 126 lextending from the detent 124 on the opposite side of its fulcrum 125 projects into the path of a coin in the coin chute 127 (see Fig. 1). Vhen a purchaser stands upon a depressible platform and a portion of his Weight is transmitted through the hook 104 to the wheel 103, the latter tends to rotate under the load, but is restrained by wheel 56 whose shaft 55 is locked bv the pin 119 on the lever 117. But upon inserting the coin in the chute 127, and striking the arm 126, detent 124 is rocked upon its fulcrum 125 to release the lever 117 whose rear end then drops under the influence of spring 121 to bring pin 119 opposite recess 123 so that cam disk 114 andthe shaft 55 may rotate under the driving load imposed upon it. In rotating, cam disk 114 gradually raises pin 119 and through it the lever 117, in opposition to spring 121 until the forward end of said lever passes below the shoulder on detent 124 and permits the latter to return to engaging position. As pin 119 passes the salient point of the cam, it drops into the space between shoulder 115 and stop 116, where it is held by the lengagement of the lever with the detent 124 and the machine is then inoperative until another coin is inserted in the coin chute.

The coin guard or chute closure comprises a barrier 128 carried by a' staff 129 whlch is fulcrumed at l130 and extends thence transversely to the plane of its fulcrum to provide a lever end' 131. This lever end projects beneath lever 117, so that when sald lever 117 is. in normal position, barrier 128 is held out of the path of the coin in the chute 127 but when detent 124 is released by a coin and forward end of lever 117 Irises, barrier 128 is projected across the path of the coin by the spring 128a and no further coin can be introduced until the machine has comby Letters Patent, is

1.In a coin controlled mechanism, the combination of a driven shaft provided with a cam having a shoulder, an arresting lever adapted to engage said shoulder an hold the shaft against movement, an arm nor-v mally holding the arresting lever in operative position, a coin chute directing a coin against said arm, and means norma ly tendingto move the arresting lever from engagement with the cam of the driven shaft.

lstop engaging said shoulder and adapted to ldepresse normally tending to rock the lever in a 100 L end of the barrier lever, su v forth.

2. In a coin controlled mechanism, the combination of a driven shaft, an arresting lever for said shaft, an arm normally holding the arresting lever in operative position, a coin chute directing a coin against said arm, and a coin guard engaging with and controlled by said arresting lever and adapted to prevent insertion of a coin in the chute until the driven shaft has completed its operation.

3. In a detent for coin controlled machines, the combination of a rotary cam having a shoulder and a stop, an arresting lever provided with a projection adapted to enter between the shoulder and stop, means normally tending to move the lever out of arresting position, a detent resisting such movement, an arm controlling said detent, and a coin chute directing a coin against said arm.

4. In a detent for coin controlled machines, the combination of the cam disk having a shoulder, the arresting lever having a be engaged by and ride upon the cam surT face unt1l it drops in front of the shoulder, the detent forthe stop lever engaging the lever when it is raisedby the cam, and coin actuated releasing means for the detent.

5. In an arresting means for coin controlled machines,'the combination of a cam having a shoulder adjacent to its salient point, and a stop adjacent to said shoulder but spaced above the cam surface, an arresting lever carrying a projection adapted to enter between the shoulder and the stop and also adapted to ass beneath the stop when toward) the cam surface, a spring direction to release its projection from the cam stop, and a detent holding said lever against such movement and having means whereby the detent is released by a coin.

6. In a guard for coin controlled machines, a barrier ada ted to prevent introduction of a coin unt1l the machine is reset, consisting of a lever having an end adapted .to project across the path of the coin and a controlling end, and a stop lever adapted to arrest the machine in operative position,

said lever directly engagin the controlling hstantially as set The foregoing specification si ned at Kansas City, Mo., this 3rd day of arch, 1909.

ROBERT B. CRAIG. ALBERT COFFMAN.

In presence of two witnesses:

V. HUNDLEY, `O. BURKE. 

